Author: eatwithlocals

I was so excited to book this tour as many tours do not take or overcharge solo travelers. Dining at Marija and Zltako’s home was the highlight of my trip. I would not have remembered Croatia the same was if it wasn’t for this amazing family. They are comfortable, hospitable and fun! I was joined by another travelling couple and we ate until we couldn’t eat anymore. Everything was super fresh and home made, for example the one day old cheese we had. It was also my first time trying the cherry liquor which was also made by Marija. We watched the Croatia soccer match was sipped on wine until about 11PM when we headed out. Marija and Zlatko really enjoy company and there was no feeling of rush or “restaurant feel”. Seems like just a nice dinner with a few friends.

Mahsa S

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Had a local dinner of Peka prepared by Marija and her husband at their home. Food was delicious, hospitality was wonderful, and a grand time was had by our group of 9. Don’t miss this opportunity while you are visiting beautiful Dubrovnik.

jlc1525

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Marija, Zlatko and their family treated us to the most wonderful evening. It started with a hearty welcome and small glasses of cherry, walnut and other assorted Grappa. This truly was a family affair with Marija and Zlatko’s two children, his brother and sister in law and some cousins in attendance. A couple from New York joined in as the other ‘customers’. Marija was clearly the head chef, the primary host and family matriarch. Her husband Zlatko, in accordance with universal traditions stemming back to early man, tended the fire, poured the drinks and declared in good humor that the primary topics of discussion for the night should be “sex and sports”.

Marija and Zlatko are a good team and expertly prepared the Peka dish which consisted of local lamb and veal, potatoes, and minimal but fresh spices. The Peka process involves heating a brick surface with a fire, placing a covered pan with the meat and potatoes on the surface and covering with hot coals. Cooking time was two hours but it zipped by with much conversation and other food. The appetizer plate was a charcuterie assembly of local cured meats and cheeses as well as olives, tomatoes and home made bread. Absolutely delicious. Notwithstanding the different cooking methods and wonderful unique local food, I was struck by how similar the affair was to a western backyard family barbeque. We were made to feel like members of the family. Thanks go to Marija and Zlatko for creating the wonderful food and atmosphere.

dpmqc

Edmonton

In researching where to find local and authentic cuisine in Dubrovnik, I came across ‘Eat With Locals’ through Dubrovnik Food Tours.

Marija, Zlatko and his daughter welcomed us into their home on a particularly warm summer evening in August. This was exactly what we had hoped for and it was such a pleasure to not only enjoy all of the local delicacies they had prepared for us, but to also get an insider’s perspective on Dubrovnik. Overly touristy locations abound among the beauty of Dubrovnik and Marija’s passion for authenticity, quality and hospitality made this a highlight of our trip.

Our evening began with a selection of homemade liquor and fresh fruit from their garden. Zlatko tended to the wood-burning fire in cooking the veal cooked under the iron dome or ‘Peka’. We continued with great conversation over a platter of local cheeses, an incredible ‘Prsut’ or Prosciutto and more specialties. The Veal Peka did not disappoint, incredibly moist and flavorful it was home cooking at it’s finest. Make sure you save room for the Paradizot a wonderful dessert of egg whites, cream and biscuits. 

Overall if you are looking for an experience that’s off the beaten path, full of character and with some local flair, I’d highly recommend booking at place at Marija’s. 

MichaelRi25

New York City, New York

 

We were on vacation in Croatia for close to 2 weeks. Although we had some great meals and enjoyed many of the restaurants, our best dinner of the whole trip was our Local Dinner at the Papaks with Marija and Zlatko. We had no idea what to expect when our travel agency recommended the dinner – but we thought at the least it would be something different. The night was so much more!

Food – amazing, company even better. Night started off with home made wine and munchies, meeting other tourists that came. When we sat down for the appetizers,we all said how amazing it looked and it could have been dinner – amazing antipasto plates: fresh prosciutto, day old cheese, other cheeses, salami, bacon wrapped plums, the best tomatoes I had all summer, eggplant, home made bread and even more!! All with more local wine. 

Eventually , dinner came. This wonderful local meal – Peka with lamb, veal and potatoes. Honestly, best lamb I think I’ve ever had. Everything was so wonderful including the dessert, music, great conversation….it went on for more hours then we thought we’d be there, but not in a bad way – we all had the best time!! We can’t thank the Papaks enough for an incredible experience.  

mbw12345